DeviantART – ArandaDill

Checklist for character development.

Created by myself, compiled from questions gleaned from several sources, and some of my own additions.

It should be noted, that not every character will check every one of these things off. It is not REQUIRED to have all this information, but this checklist is, rather, a guideline for helping you think of your character as an entire, three dimentional being with thoughts, feelings, possessions, contradictions and background.

A character is 20% revealed to the reader, 80% writer/author/Mun knowledge. What the Reader sees is just the tip of the iceburg, but without the other 80% the character can’t help but come off feeling shallow. There’s nothing beneath the surface -  KNOWING as much bout your character as possible, instrinsicly, in detail, intimately, can do nothing but help build believability and dimension to your character.

Use only the things on this list that you feel are important, but I would like to remind you that the reader learns a lot about a character NOT through exposition (that’s kind of a cheat, and always feels , to me, like a rather clunky way of conveying knowlege), but through their actions, quirks, thoughts, and even through the things they own and carry with them. What kind of food they eat and how they eat it. What they wear. What they carry in their wallets.  I encourage you, as writers, to consider these things when creating a character, and encourage you MORE to leave the exposition out and tell us about your character through these other means!

If nothing else, this will give you a LOT to work with when writing with your character. Maybe it’ll spur you to write about the character’s parents. Or the relationship between them and their family. Maybe you’ll find yourself inspired to write something about how they lost everything in a fire  - and the importance each remembered lost item held.

There is certainly no rule that says you HAVE to do it this way, but invariably, the most memorable characters are the ones that we as readers can relate with. It’s hard to relate with just words - but people - with beliefs and dreams and fears -  that’s something we can get behind.

I certainly hope you find this useful, and since so many have been inclined to reblog and like this, I shall endeavor to add more character creation and writing tips, lists and excercises up on this blog!

THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ONE! Don’t ignore this in your writing!

Writing Character Arcs

Post suggested by @amethystvalkyrie.

Let’s get this out straight away: You cannot disregard character arcs. The way you can think of character arcs is that readers usually come for the plot but stay for the character because you can have a kick ass plot but if the characters don’t have depth and don’t grow or change throughout, then the readers can’t connect to the story. Readers need to care about the character to care about what they are going through and the best way to do this is through their arc. Now, though attention to character is always important, certain genres demand more than others just like certain genres demand more plot than others. For example, literary, contemporary YA, and romance put more emphasis of character than more plot-driven genres like thriller, adventure, fantasy and sci fi. In any case, character arc enhances the story but it can be tricky to understand how create this arc and how to use it to better the story, so here are some tips:

Really, think of it as a curve. Okay, so maybe not a nice smooth curve, more like one with a bunch of bumps and squiggles in it. Also, the direction of this curve depends on who you want your character to become. Usually, a protagonist will arc up, starting at point where they have some personal obstacles to overcome, whether this is just a few things or a major attitude adjustment. You can also have characters that arc down and progressively get worse, like a villain or a tragic hero. The point is that as the time goes on, your characters should move on the Y axis (sorry for the math). You can actually plot it out if it helps you understand the rises and falls of your character’s arc.

Find what each character really needs to change. What is holding them back from achieving their goal? Why is it so important that they change? What would happen or who would they be if they don’t change? Alternatively, what can go wrong if they change or change for the worse? Remember that not every character arc is a positive one and sometimes readers need to see the characters fall to understand what is at stake and cheer for them more when they get back up.

Don’t make it sudden or pointless. Like anything else in your story you want to make the character’s advancement (or deterioration) have a cause and effect relationship. Something that happens in the story causes the character to have to change or at least consider how their actions are impacting others and their own life. A drunk who gets into a car accident and nearly kills their kid. A hero whose selfishness nearly causes the destruction of a village. Typically, the biggest shifts happen near the climax where the stakes are highest and the character has to make the biggest decisions.

Don’t make the character passive. Passive characters, in particular passive protagonists are unbearable. These are the ones that have the plot happen to them rather than contributing to the direction and outcome of the events. A character needs to take charge of their own destiny even if it’s a story where destiny is literally coming after them. Like I said before, some genres have more room for this than others. A high-stakes thriller that’s more plot driven has moments where the characters have to struggle to keep up with the events happening to them, but they should still be making the major decisions that ultimately lead to the conclusion. When the characters aren’t being decisive they can’t grow or change and their personal story stays flat and boring.

me: lmao fuckin weeaboos amiright? with all their fuckin animoo-

me: *sees a cherry blossom falling* 

me: *internally* kISS KISS FALL IN LOVE 

Christine Daae’s Costumes In Every Song [Requested by @hellyeahsmovies​]

Jason Todd didn’t get brutally murdered and claw his way out of his own grave to wear a helmet with a mouth on it

i dont get it

riverdale sucked so bad but caos really made me feel some type of way

How To Adult

For those of you who need the nudge, here are some resources that’ll hopefully help you. 

Organization

Things to include when setting up a new planner

How to organize your day

The best pens for planning

Login & password tracker printable

2015′s most popular planners

Questions to help you de-clutter

Brilliant organizing solutions

Career

How to look good in a group interview

An introvert’s guide to self-promotion at work

Career planning 101

36 career tips no one will actually tell you

Best resume tips

What to do if you don’t know the answer to the interview question

A guide to cover letters

Mental & Physical Health

How to become a morning person

Why you feel tired everyday

Water intake and your diet

Finding happiness when life gets hard

Books to read when you need a laugh

Books to read in your twenties

What your gyno really wants you to know

How to wake up happy

Become a morning person

Your guide to medical check-ups (extremely important!)

When you need to get checked by a doctor timeline

Relationships

Free weekend date ideas

9 conversations every serious couple should have

Date ideas for $10 and under

Summer couple’s bucket list

Fall couple’s bucket list

50 things to do besides watch a movie

Miscellaneous 

How to make small talk

Use the Internet when there is no Internet

Which glue should you use?

How to properly tip

Expiration dates of beauty products

How to increase cell phone storage

Clothing care / laundry symbols

A guide to dealing with hangovers

Do I need a photo ID to do this?

Documents you need before you die

100+ things to throw away

How to buy a car

Cooking / Food 

Using your hand to find portion control sizes

How to cut a recipe in half

Grocery shopping like an adult

Kitchen measurement cheat sheet

Meals on the go

The shelf life of food infographic

Helpful kitchen cheat sheet

What pasta goes with what sauce?

How to pair candy with alcohol

Foods that are hazardous to dogs

Home / Apartment

Apartment inspection checklist

Planning a move in advance

Make moving easier

How to keep a clean home

Cleaning schedule printable

Car cleaning hacks

Things to do before moving out of your home

Checklist for changing your address

How to take care of your car

First place checklist

Things you can clean in the dishwasher

Finding an affordable apartment

Rental walk-through checklist

What to handle first after moving

Finances

Making and living on a budget

How to start couponing

Making a budget binder

Credit score basics

Save money on utilities

Financial habits to start right now

Get help with medical bills

How to save money every week

When airline tickets are the cheapest

Couponing for beginners

Budgeting in your home

Create a calendar budget

Get your finances under control